Who will buy Chelsea? Abramovich puts it up for sale

The possibility of Roman Abramovich stepping down as Chelsea's owner is growing. The Russian oligarch's problems with the UK have been joined by the declared intention of a Swiss billionaire to take over the club if Abramovich twists his arm and sells the club.

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Hansjörg Wyss, who has a fortune in excess of £4 billion, has offered to negotiate for the Stamford Bridge club in what could suggest a complete turnaround for the European champions.

"Abramovich is trying to sell his assets in England and also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly," Wyss told Swiss newspaper Blick. "On Tuesday, three people and I received an offer to buy the club. Now I have to wait four or five days. Abramovich is asking for too much and, as you know, Chelsea owes him 2 billion or so, but they don't have the money to pay him."

The Swiss is referring to the more than 1.5 billion Abramovich has lent Chelsea since he bought them for less than £100 million in 2003. Since his arrival, as one of the first billionaires to land in European soccer, Chelsea has gone from being just another team in the upper echelons of England to one of the continent's greats, with 18 titles under his tenure, including two European Cups.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia was the straw that broke the camel's back

But Russia's war in Ukraine has disrupted a leadership that came full circle a few weeks ago in Abu Dhabi, with the Club World Cup. The last title missing from Abramovich's trophy cabinet, and perhaps the last in general.

His complicated situation in the UK, which did not renew his investor visa in 2018, has escalated in recent days following his close and always denied relationship with Vladimir Putin. 

From the House of Commons, Abramovich has been accused of being a close collaborator of Putin and has called for the seizure of his assets in the UK, such as the mansion worth more than 150 million in central London, and not to be allowed to manage a club like Chelsea.

Chris Bryant MP warned on Tuesday that the oligarch is starting to look for buyers for his assets and that sanctions action needs to be taken quickly. Wyss' words only confirm this.

Hansjörg Wyss to look for other partners to take over Chelsea

Abramovich's decision to leave the administration in the hands of the club's foundation, which has doubts about the move, is yet another indication of the ever-increasing distance with which the Russian views the club he has managed for the past fourteen years.

Wyss, 86, made his fortune in the medical multinational Synthes and has been characterized in recent years by his large donations to charitable and environmental works. As reported by the New York Times in 2018, his contribution to works in favor of the environment rises above 1 billion euros. 

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